Kyiv, November 20, 2015.Militants attacked Pisky, Opytne, Maryinka, Krasnohorivka, Troitske, Nevelske and Avdiivka using infantry combat vehicle BMP-2, grenade launchers, large machine guns and light arms. “Opytne was assaulted by 82mm mortar fire, while in the Luhansk sector militants fired directly at our positions in Novotoshkivske and Orikhovo-Donetske,” said Leonid Matyukhin, the spokesperson of the ATO headquarters, via Skype at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “A firefight with hostile subversive reconnaissance group of 20 people took place at 10:00 p.m. The insurgents were defeated and retreated from the battlefield,” said Matyukhin.

According to Captain Matyukhin, in the Artemivsk sector militants attacked Luhanske, Zaitseve and Maiorsk from mortar launchers, machineguns and light arms, while howitzers were used in Novotoshkivske. Moreover, militants used 82mm mortar launchers in the vicinity of Maiorsk.

Russia-backed insurgents also fired from 82mm mortar launchers on checkpoints near Troitske, while light arms were used in Hranitne and Shyrokyne. “There was not a single calm hour since last night till 6 a.m. in the ATO zone. Traditionally, it is the Donetsk sector where the majority of shelling happens,” said Captain Matyukhin. He also mentioned that militants shot at civilian-inhabited localities. “There were four attacks between 9:34 and 10:15 p.m. on Krasnohorivka from the Staromykhailivka sector using multiple launch rocket systems,” explained the spokesperson.